Incapacitated driving detection and prevention

ABSTRACT

Biometric data is received from a wearable device. The biometric data concerns a vehicle operator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device. A load score is determined. The load score is a measurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle based at least in part on the biometric data from the wearable device. At least one vehicle component is actuated based at least in part on the load score.

BACKGROUND

Vehicle operators who are incapacitated, e.g., from stress and/or a lackof energy, e.g., being drowsy, tired, sleepy, etc., are a cause forconcern, e.g., for operators in surrounding vehicles and for near-bypedestrians. Predicting the onset of incapacity is difficult and onceincapacitated, an operators may not recognize the incapacity. Preventingincapacity may therefore be all but impossible for the vehicle operator.Operators in surrounding vehicles, and near-by pedestrians, aretypically unaware of risks of a vehicle operator's incapacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle system for detecting andpreventing an incapacitated operator from operating a vehicle.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary vehicle system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary process for detecting and preventingan incapacitated operator from operating a vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a second diagram of an exemplary process for detecting andpreventing an incapacitated operator from operating a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Introduction

FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams of an exemplary vehicle 101 system 100for incapacitated driving detection and prevention. A vehicle 101 mayinclude a computer 105 that includes or is communicatively coupled to atransceiver 110, sensors 115, a human machine interface (HMI) 120,and/or vehicle 101 subsystems 125, e.g., steering, brakes, throttle,etc. The computer 105 may receive and control data relating to operatingthe vehicle 101. The computer 105 is communicatively coupled with anetwork 130. The network 130 is communicatively coupled to a wearabledevice 135 and to a server 140. The server is communicatively coupled toa data store 145.

The vehicle 101 computer 105 may be programmed to determine that anoperator of the vehicle 101 is incapacitated, e.g., due to heightenedstress levels and/or due to a lack of energy, e.g., is drowsy, is tired,is sleepy, etc., and for deciding what actions, if any, to actuate,e.g., to actuate one or more vehicle components such as brakes,throttle, or steering. The vehicle 101 computer 105 monitors biometricdata of the operator to evaluate the operator and, determine that theoperator is incapacitated. Should the vehicle 101 computer 105 determinethat the operator is incapacitated, the vehicle 101 computer 105 mayinclude programming to actuate one or more components in the vehicle101, device 135, etc.; different actions may be actuated depending on alevel or type of incapacity that has been determined. Actions mayinclude, for example, various actuations of one or more vehicle 101components such as steering, brakes, throttle, etc.

Exemplary System Elements

The vehicle 101 typically includes a computer 105. The computer 105 maybe communicatively coupled to, e.g., via a communications bus or otherknown wired or wireless connections, or the computer 105 may include,one or more electronic control units, e.g., controllers or the likeincluded in the vehicle 101 for monitoring and/or controlling variousvehicle 101 components, e.g., an engine control unit (ECU), transmissioncontrol unit (TCU), etc. The computer 105 may be generally configuredfor communications on a controller area network (CAN) bus or any othersuitable protocol such as JASPAR, LIN, SAE J1850, AUTOSAR, MOST, etc.Electronic control units may be connected to, e.g., the CAN bus, as isknown. The vehicle 101 may also include one or more electronic controlunits specifically for receiving and transmitting diagnostic informationsuch as an onboard diagnostics connector (OBD-II). Via the CAN bus,OBD-II, and/or other wired or wireless mechanisms, the computer 105 maytransmit messages to various devices in the vehicle 101 and/or receivemessages from the various devices, e.g., controllers, actuators, etc.Alternatively or additionally, in cases where the computer 105 actuallycomprises multiple devices, the CAN bus or the like may be used forcommunications between devices represented as the computer 105 in thisdisclosure, e.g., various ECUs.

The vehicle 101 may include a transceiver 110. The transceiver 110 maytransmit and/or receive messages to and/or from the vehicle 101. Thetransceiver 110 may transmit and/or receive messages using a pluralityof communication protocols. For example, the transceiver 110 maytransmit and/or receive messages using protocols such as Dedicated ShortRange Communication (DSRC), cellular modem, and short-range radiofrequency. The transceiver 110 may be in communication with the computer105 in a known manner, such that the computer 105 can provides messagesfor transmission to, and receive messages received by, the transceiver110.

The transceiver 110 may transmit and/or receive kinematic data, i.e.,data relating to motion, regarding vehicles surrounding the vehicle 101.For example, the kinematic data may include the velocity of each of thevehicles surrounding the vehicle 101, including the velocity of thevehicle 101. The kinematic data may further include trajectory data,e.g., an acceleration, a steering angle, and/or a path history, of oneor more vehicles near, e.g., with a predetermined radius such as tenmeters, fifty meters, etc., of the vehicle 101.

The transceiver 110 may communicate with a network 130 that extendsoutside of the vehicle 101, e.g., communicating with the server 140. Thenetwork 130 may include various wired and/or wireless networkingtechnologies, e.g., cellular, Bluetooth, wired and/or wireless packets,etc. The network 130 may have any suitable topology. Exemplarycommunication networks include wireless communication networks (e.g.,using Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.), local area networks (LAN), and/orwide area networks (WAN), including the Internet, providing datacommunication services.

The vehicle 101 may include a variety of sensors 115. The sensors 115may be linked to electronic control units and operate within a CAN busprotocol or any other suitable protocol, as described above. The sensors115 may both transmit and receive data. The sensors 115 may communicatewith the computer 105 or other electronic control unit via e.g., the CANbus protocol, to process information transmitted from or received by thesensors 115. The sensors 115 may communicate with the computer 105 orother electronic control unit via any suitable wireless and/or wiredmanner. The sensors 115 may include any assortment of a camera, a RADARunit, a LADAR unit, a sonar unit, a breathalyzer, a motion detector,etc. Additionally, the sensors 115 may include a global positioningsystem (GPS) receiver that may communicate with a global positioningsystem satellite connected to the network, etc.

The sensors 115 may further include one or more biometric sensors 150,i.e., devices that measure bodily functions. For example, the pluralityof biometric sensors 150 may be a heart rate monitor, e.g., that usesphotoplethysmography, that measures facial color changes, etc., a pupilsize and stability monitor, e.g., such as a pupilometer, etc., and/or arespiration monitor, e.g., that measures acoustic signals, temperaturevariations near the nostrils, changes in CO₂ levels in the vehicle 101,etc. The biometric sensors 150 may use, for example, a camera in thevehicle 101 and/or the vehicle 101 computer 105. Other examples ofbiometric sensors 150 are possible.

The biometric sensors 150 may be disposed in the vehicle 101 in anysuitable location. For example, the heart rate monitor may be disposedwithin the vehicle 101 steering wheel, the pupil size and pupilstability monitor may include the camera disposed, for example, on or inthe vehicle 101 dash board, and the respiratory monitor may be disposedwithin and/or on the vehicle 101 seatbelt.

The vehicle 101 computer 105 may include one or more memory devices. Thememory device may include a main memory device, i.e., a volatile memorydevice, and/or an auxiliary storage device that may be internal orexternal to the rest of the computer, e.g., an external hard drive. Thememory device may communicate with the computer 105 and may store thedata transmitted over the CAN bus protocol by the electronic controlunits. Individual data may be collected by the sensors 115, butsubsequently, the aggregate data may be processed together by thecomputer 105. Data may also include data calculated and processed as anoutput by the computer 105. In general, data may include any data thatmay be gathered by a sensor 115 and/or processed by the computer 105.

The vehicle 101 may include a human machine interface (HMI) 120. The HMI120 may allow an operator of the vehicle 101 to interface with thecomputer 105, with electronic control units, etc. The HMI 120 mayinclude any one of a variety of computing devices including a processorand a memory, as well as communications capabilities. The HMI 120 may bea portable computer, tablet computer, mobile phone, e.g., a smart phone,etc., that includes capabilities for wireless communications using IEEE802.11, Bluetooth, and/or cellular communications protocols, etc. TheHMI 120 may further include interactive voice response (IVR) and/or agraphical user interface (GUI), including e.g., a touchscreen or thelike, etc. The HMI 120 may communicate with the network 130 that extendsoutside of the vehicle 101 and may communicate directly with thecomputer 105, e.g., using Bluetooth, etc.

The vehicle 101 may include one or more subsystems 125. The subsystems125 may include a brake system, a suspension system, a steering system,and a powertrain system. The subsystems may communicate with thecomputer 105, e.g., through the electronic control units and/or via theCAN bus protocol. The subsystems 125 may transmit and/or receive datafrom the computer 105, the sensors 115, the transceiver 110, and/or theHMI 120.

The network 130 may be communicatively coupled to one or more wearablecomputing devices 135, e.g., Apple watch, Microsoft Band, Google Glass,etc. The wearable device 135 may include any one of a variety ofcomputing devices including a processor and a memory, as well ascommunications capabilities, e.g., using IEEE 802.11, using Bluetooth,using cellular communications protocols, etc. The wearable device 135may communicate directly with the vehicle 101 computer 105, e.g., usingBluetooth, etc. The wearable device 135 may communicate with theoperator through tactile, visual, auditory, etc. mechanisms.

The vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the server 140 may be programmed torecognize, e.g., to identify, an operator and/or the wearable device 135of the operator using stored parameters, e.g., using face recognition orother known techniques enabled by the sensors 150. Biometric datacorresponding to a specific operator and representing a baseline,described below, may be stored in the vehicle 101 computer 105 memory,the wearable device 135 memory, and/or in the data store 145.

The wearable device 135 may include some or all of the aforementionedbiometric sensors 150. Any suitable biometric sensor 150 may be includedin the wearable device 135.

The server 140 may include a data store 145. Data received from theplurality of biometric sensors 150, for example, and data processed bythe vehicle 101 computer 105 may be stored in the data store 145 forlater retrieval. Additionally, the data store 145 may include an actiondatabase, though the vehicle 101 computer 105 memory may alternativelyinclude the action database. In any case, the action database mayinclude a plurality of vehicle 101 and/or wearable device 135 actions,i.e., processes and tasks commenced and regulated by the process 300that relate to vehicle 101 functions, e.g., braking, navigating,activating headlights, etc., and to vehicle-operator interactions, e.g.,changing a radio station, sending alerts to the wearable device 135,modifying climate conditions, etc. Thus, the action database mayidentify components that may be actuated, along with possible actionsfor each component, e.g., increasing brake pressure by a predeterminedamount or amounts, increasing or decreasing throttle by some increment,changing a steering angle by some amount, etc.

Exemplary Process Flows

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary process 300 that may be implementedin the vehicle 101 computer 105 for determining that an operator isincapacitated and for actuating one or more actions.

The process 300 begins in a block 305. In the block 305, a plurality ofbiometric sensors 150, e.g., disposed within the vehicle 101 and/or thewearable device 135, monitors body characteristics (BC) of the operator.The measured body characteristics may include, for example, a heartrate, a pupillary size, a blink rate, and/or a respiration rate of theoperator as an indication of operator incapacity. For example, decreasedheart rate, stable pupil size, and decreased respiration rate of theoperator may indicate that the operator is drowsy, tired, sleepy, etc.Additionally, increased heart rate, pupillary dilation, and increasedrespiration rate of the operator may indicate that the operator isstressed. The biometric sensors 150 may measure any other suitable bodycharacteristic of the operator, such as eye movement, i.e., gazedetection, etc.

The wearable device 135 or the vehicle 101 HMI 120 may also prompt theoperator to input personal data that may be used to assess operatorcapacity/incapacity. For example, the wearable device 135 or the vehicle101 HMI 120 may prompt the operator to enter a number of hours of sleepthe operator has had in the past 24 hours.

Next, in a block 310, the data measured by the biometric sensor 150 isreceived and scored by the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or by thewearable device 135 computer. For example, as shown in Table 1, the bodycharacteristic measured can be assigned a score (S), e.g., one, two, orthree, etc., depending on a value of the body characteristic that thevehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the wearable device 135 computerdetermines.

As shown in Table 1, the score of each of the body characteristicsdepends on a status of the body characteristic, the status beingassigned according to a value of the characteristic. For example, theheart rate may have a high status if above a first threshold, a normalstatus if at or below the first threshold and above a second threshold,or a low status if at or below the second threshold. The high status maybe defined, for example, as greater than 100 beats per minute (BPM), thenormal status may be defined as between 60 BPM and 100 BPM, and the lowstatus may be defined as lower than 60 BPM.

TABLE 1 BODY WEIGHTING COM- CHARACTERISTIC SCORE FACTOR PONENT (BC)STATUS (S) (WF) SCORE (CS) HEART RATE HIGH 3 3 9 NORMAL 0 0 LOW 1 3HOURS OF SLEEP HIGH 0 2 0 IN THE PAST 24 NORMAL 0 0 HOURS LOW 3 6 PUPILSIZE LARGE 3 1 3 (CORRECTED NORMAL 0 0 FOR OUTDOOR SMALL 0 0 BRIGHTNESS)PUPIL STABILITY STABLE 0 2 0 UN- 2 4 STABLE

Status definitions of respective body characteristics may vary dependingon the operator, e.g., according to age, gender, and/or other personalcharacteristics. For example, while a high status heart rate for a firstoperator may be greater than 100 BPM, a second operator may have a highstatus heart rate at greater than 90 BPM.

Table 1 also includes a weighting factor (WF). The weighting factor maybe a pre-determined constant value, e.g., 1, 2.5, etc., stored in thevehicle 101 computer 105 memory and/or the wearable device 135 computermemory or, alternatively, the weighting factor may depend from aplurality of sources. For example, clinical data, i.e., data relating tothe health of the operator, e.g., from electronic health records,insurance claims data, disease registries, etc., and/or operator inputdata, i.e., data, e.g., relating to the health of the operator, that theoperator inputs into the vehicle 101 computer 105 via, e.g., the HMI120, may influence the value of the weighting factor. For example, afirst operator whose clinical data includes a diagnosis of heart diseaseand/or who inputs in the vehicle 101 HMI 120 an indication of heartdisease may have a heart disease weighting factor greater than a secondoperator with a substantially healthy heart.

A component score (CS), as shown in Table 1, may be calculated from thescore and the weighting factor according to a component score formula:CS_(BC)=(WF)_(BC)(S)_(BC), in which the value of each of the componentscore, weighting factor, and score is of the respective bodycharacteristic BC.

Next, in a block 315, the vehicle 101 computer and/or the wearabledevice 135 computer determines an operator load score, which is ameasurement or indicia of operator capacity and/or incapacity foroperating the vehicle 101, using a formula based on the respectivescores of the body characteristics measured and assigned statuses asdescribed above. The formula may weigh some or all of the scoresdifferently, e.g., using the weighting factor (WF), as shown in Table 1and described above. For example, as shown in Table 1, the heart ratemay be weighted by a factor of 3, the number of hours of sleep in thepast 24 hours and pupil stability may be weighted by a factor of 2, andpupil size may be weighted by a factor of 1. The resulting componentscores are subsequently combined in the formula. The formula may be, forexample,

${{load} = {k{\sum\limits_{{BC} = 1}^{{BC} = n}\; {\left( {WF}_{BC} \right)\left( S_{BC} \right)}}}},$

in which k is any constant, WF is the weighting factor, S is the score,BC is the body characteristic, e.g., heart rate, respiration, etc.,where each body characteristic is assigned a number, e.g., heart rate=1,respiration rate=2, etc., and n is the maximum number of bodycharacteristics being measured. However, substitutions or variations arepossible for determining the load.

Next, in a block 320, the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the wearabledevice 135 computer compares the load with baseline values. The baselinevalues, e.g., heart rate, respiration rate, etc., for an operator areestablished from the biometric data of the operator under apredetermined set of conditions, e.g., when the operator is notincapacitated, when the operator is in a resting state, etc., orpossibly from other data, such as data pertaining to a demographiccategory (e.g., age, gender, etc.) to which the operator belongs. Toachieve or enhance statistical accuracy, the biometric sensors 150 may,for example, repeatedly measure the status of the operator and computewhether there is a statistically significant deviation from the baselinedefined as passing a statistical test comparing the load with thebaseline, e.g., a t-test having a p-value (that term being used hereinas ordinarily used in the field of statistics, e.g., a probability ofachieving observed results) less than a threshold level, i.e., asignificance level, e.g., 0.1 or 0.5.

In determining which of the repeated measurements are computed in theload score, the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the wearable device 135computer may account for a different time and/or environment of two ormore measurements. For example, a first measurement may occur duringenvironmental conditions, e.g., rain, traffic, nighttime, etc.,different than the conditions of a second measurement. Similarly, athird measurement at a first time may occur during identical conditionsto a fourth measurement at a second time, yet beyond an acceptabletemporal range, i.e., the elapsed time between two measurements, asdetermined, e.g., by a pre-determined constant, i.e., one year, twoyears, etc., or by operator input via the HMI 120. Based on at leastpartly on the changing time and environment of the measurements, thevehicle 101 computer 105 and/or wearable device 135 computer maydetermine which measurements are included as inputs in the load formula.

Should the load be statistically significantly deviated, i.e., one ormore standard deviations, from the baseline, the process 300 proceeds toa block 325. Otherwise, the process 300 proceeds to a block 350. If theload is statistically significantly deviated from the baseline, i.e.,passing a statistical test comparing the load with the baseline, e.g., at-test having a p-value less than a threshold level, i.e., asignificance level, e.g., 0.1 or 0.5, the vehicle 101 computer 105and/or the wearable device 135 computer, in the block 325, compares theload with operator historical scores (OHS). The OHS include componentand load scores previously determined by the vehicle 101 computer 105and/or the wearable device 135 computer and stored in the data store145.

The OHS may be stored in the data store 145 corresponding to events,e.g., driving in traffic, driving in specific weather, driving near alarge number of pedestrians, driving at night, stopping at a railwaycrossing, driving on the highway, etc. The events may further be definedby, for example, a specific day of the month or season of the year orcyclical occurrence, e.g., tax reporting term, etc. The events may bemeasured by, e.g., the vehicle 101 sensors 115 and sent to the datastore 140 for storage corresponding to the OHS. The data store 145 mayinclude many OHS, each of which may correspond to different events.

In a block 330, the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the wearable device135 computer determines whether the difference between the load and/orthe component scores and a related OHS, i.e., the OHS corresponding to asame or substantially similar event occurring during the computing ofthe load and the component scores, is statistically significant, i.e.,passing a statistical test comparing the load with the baseline, e.g., at-test having a p-value less than a threshold level, i.e., asignificance level, e.g., 0.1 or 0.5. If the difference between the loadand/or component scores and the corresponding OHS is statisticallysignificant, then the process 300 proceeds to a block 335. Otherwise,the process 300 proceeds to the block 350.

Should the difference between the load and/or the component scores andthe related OHS be statistically significant, the vehicle 101 computer105 and/or the wearable device 135 computer, in the block 335 matches toan action database the value of the deviation of the value of thecomputed operator load and/or component scores from the value of theOHS. The value of the deviation represents the degree to which the loadand/or component scores are different than the OHS. The value of thedeviation may be calculated by formula, e.g., by dividing the loadand/or component scores by the related OHS. For example, a load score of8 and an OHS of 2 for a first operator may result in a deviation valueof 4, whereas a load score of 6 and an OHS of 3 for a second operatormay result in a deviation value of 2, suggesting that the first operatormay be more incapacitated than the second operator.

Next, in a block 340, the vehicle 101 computer 105 based on the value ofthe deviation, identifies a corresponding action in the action database.

Deviation values may be modified based on environmental and vehicle 101data, e.g., rain, fog, traffic, vehicle 101 speed, etc., that may bedetected by the vehicle 101 sensors 115 or from the server 140, forexample. Deviation values may be increased to account for, e.g., reducedoperator visibility in fog or reduced operator response time at highspeed and/or in traffic. The value of increase in deviation values maydepend on the severity and number of the environmental and vehicle 101data present. For example, traveling at high speeds in fog may increasethe deviation value more than traveling at high speeds without fog.Similarly, for further example, a severe thunderstorm may increase thedeviation value more than a light shower. As described above, deviationvalues are associated with actions, and, therefore, environmental andvehicle 101 data may influence the manner in which the computer 105takes control of the vehicle 101 components and/or operations.

For example, a first value of deviation, corresponding to a firstoperator, that is greater than a second value of deviation,corresponding to a second operator, suggests that the first operator isexperiencing a higher driving load than the second operator and that thevehicle 101 and/or wearable device 135 will actuate a first action basedon a first formula in the action database corresponding to the firstload value that is different from a second action based on a secondformula in the action database corresponding to the second load value.

Once the vehicle 101 computer 105 matches the value of deviation withthe corresponding function in the action database, the vehicle 101and/or wearable device 135, in a block 345, executes the function tobring about the action. For example, the wearable device 135 and/or thevehicle 101 may alert, e.g., by visual stimuli, auditory stimuli,tactile stimuli, etc., the vehicle 101 operator to preventincapacitation. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 101 mayprompt the operator to change the vehicle 101 mode, i.e., from manualcontrol to part or full control by the computer 105, and/or the vehicle101 may automatically change the vehicle 101 mode. The computer 105 maycontrol some or all of the vehicle 101 components and/or operationsdepending on the deviation value. For example, a high deviation value,suggesting that the operator is severely incapacitated, may correspondto the computer 105 controlling a greater number of vehicle 101components and/or operations than if the deviation value were lower. Forexample, a high driver load, leading to a high deviation value, mayresult in the computer 105 stopping the vehicle 101. For furtherexample, a high deviation value may result in the computer 105controlling the steering, acceleration, and navigation aspects of thevehicle 101. Alternatively, a low driver load, leading to a lowdeviation value, may result in the computer 105 taking minimal controlof the vehicle 101 components and/or operations. For example, a lowdriver load may correspond to the vehicle 101 computer 105 prompting theoperator or sending an alert to the wearable device 135 to alert theoperator.

Next or following from either the block 320 or the block 330, in theblock 350, the vehicle 101 computer 105 determines whether the process300 should continue. For example, the process 300 may end if the vehicle101 turns off the process 300, if the vehicle 101 is switched off, etc.In any case, if the process 300 should not continue the process 300 endsfollowing the block 350. Otherwise, the process 300 returns to the block305.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a second exemplary process 400 for detecting andpreventing an incapacitated operator from operating the vehicle 101.

The process 400 begins in a block 405. In the block 405, a plurality ofbiometric sensors 150, e.g., disposed within the vehicle 101 and/or thewearable device 135, monitors body characteristics (BC) of the operator.The measured body characteristics may include, for example, a heartrate, a pupillary size, a blink rate, and/or a respiration rate of theoperator as an indication of operator incapacity. For example, decreasedheart rate, stable pupil size, and decreased respiration rate of theoperator may indicate that the operator is drowsy, tired, sleepy, etc.Additionally, increased heart rate, pupillary dilation, and increasedrespiration rate of the operator may indicate that the operator isstressed. The biometric sensors 150 may measure any other suitable bodycharacteristic of the operator, such as eye movement, i.e., gazedetection, etc.

The wearable device 135 or the vehicle 101 HMI 120 may also prompt theoperator to input personal data that may be used to assess operatorcapacity/incapacity. For example, the wearable device 135 or the vehicle101 HMI 120 may prompt the operator to enter a number of hours of sleepthe operator has had in the past 24 hours.

Next, in a block 410, the data measured by the biometric sensor 150 isreceived and scored by the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or by thewearable device 135 computer, as described above.

Next, in a block 415, vehicle 101 computer and/or the wearable device135 computer determines an operator load score, as described above.

Next, in a block 420, the vehicle 101 computer 105, the server 140,and/or the wearable device 135 analyze the load score, calculated in thepreceding block 315, and/or the component scores to determine whetherthe operator is incapacitated and/or to determine a degree to which theoperator is incapacitated. The load and/or component scores may becompared to pre-determined values representative of operator incapacity,e.g., for an average operator, to determine whether the operator isincapacitated. For example, if the load score is above thepre-determined value, the operator may be considered incapacitated.Similarly, for further example, the higher the load score is relative tothe pre-determined value, the greater the operator incapacity, i.e., thedegree to which the operator is incapacitated. Should the process 400determine that the operator is incapacitated and the degree to which theoperator is incapacitated, the process 400 proceeds to a block 425.Otherwise, if the process 400 determines that the operator is notincapacitated the process 400 proceeds to a block 435.

In the block 425, the vehicle 101 computer 105, the server 140, and/orthe wearable device 135 matches to the action database the degree, i.e.,value, in which the operator is incapacitated. For example, an operatorhaving a high degree of incapacity, e.g., a load is above apredetermined threshold, may correspond to an action in which thecomputer 105 takes control of some or all of the vehicle 101 componentsand/or operations. That is, an operator having a high degree ofincapacity may effect in the computer 105 taking control of essentialvehicle 101 functions, e.g., steering, braking, navigating, etc. On theother hand, an operator having a low degree of incapacity, e.g., a loadbelow a second predetermined threshold, may effect in the computer 105taking control of less essential vehicle 101 functions, e.g., use oflane assist, cruise control, etc., and/or alerting the operator, e.g.,by sending an alert to the wearable device 135, the HMI 120, etc.

Additionally or alternatively, the computer 105 may deviate from theaction in the action database corresponding to the operator load and/oradjust thresholds related to load, when certain environmental andvehicle 101 conditions are present. For example, in inclement weather,e.g., in rain, snow, fog, etc., and/or other conditions that could makea collision or other accident more likely, e.g., traveling at highspeeds, in traffic, etc., the computer 105 may take more control of thevehicle 101 components and/or operations than it might otherwise at aparticular operator load, e.g., degree of operator incapacity. Forexample, the computer 105 may take greater control of the vehicle 101components and/or operations when operator visibility is reduced in fogor when stimulus response time for the operator is low at high speedand/or in traffic. Greater or more control could mean taking control ofmore components, e.g., at a level of operator load, means the computer105 could be programmed to take control of vehicle 101 braking, but thecomputer 105 could be further programmed to additionally take control ofvehicle 101 steering at that level of operator load given certainenvironmental conditions, e.g., presence of rain or snow. Greater ormore control could alternatively or additionally mean taking control ofa greater degree of a component's operations, e.g., assisting orcontrolling all braking as opposed to controlling braking only when anobstacle is within a predetermined distance.

Next, in a block 430, the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the smartdevice 135 actuates the action in the action database or the actionmodified due to environmental and vehicle 101 data, as described above.

Next or following from the block 420, in the block 435, the vehicle 101computer 105 determines whether the process 400 should continue. Forexample, the process 400 may end if the vehicle 101 turns off theprocess 400, if the vehicle 101 is switched off, etc. In any case, ifthe process 400 should not continue the process 400 ends following theblock 435. Otherwise, the process 400 returns to the block 405.

Additionally, after the computer 105 takes control of some or all of thevehicle 101 components and/or operations during either the process 300or the process 400, the vehicle 101 computer 105 and/or the wearabledevice 135 may determine that the operator has regained capacity. Thecomputer 105 may subsequently return control of some or all of thevehicle 101 components and/or operations over which the computer 105attained control. The process 300 and the process 400 thereafter couldreturn to the block 305 and the block 405, respectively.

Computing devices such as those discussed herein generally each includeinstructions executable by one or more computing devices such as thoseidentified above, and for carrying out blocks or steps of processesdescribed above. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled orinterpreted from computer programs created using a variety ofprogramming languages and/or technologies, including, withoutlimitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, VisualBasic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., amicroprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, acomputer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, therebyperforming one or more processes, including one or more of the processesdescribed herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored andtransmitted using a variety of computer-readable media. A file in acomputing device is generally a collection of data stored on a computerreadable medium, such as a storage medium, a random access memory, etc.

A computer-readable medium includes any medium that participates inproviding data (e.g., instructions), which may be read by a computer.Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to,non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, forexample, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatilemedia include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typicallyconstitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable mediainclude, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any otheroptical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium withpatterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any othermemory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer canread.

With regard to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. describedherein, it should be understood that, although the steps of suchprocesses, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certainordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the describedsteps performed in an order other than the order described herein. Itfurther should be understood that certain steps could be performedsimultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain stepsdescribed herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions ofsystems and/or processes herein are provided for the purpose ofillustrating certain embodiments, and should in no way be construed soas to limit the disclosed subject matter.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description isintended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments andapplications other than the examples provided would be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of theinvention should be determined, not with reference to the abovedescription, but should instead be determined with reference to claimsappended hereto and/or included in a non-provisional patent applicationbased hereon, along with the full scope of equivalents to which suchclaims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that futuredevelopments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that thedisclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such futureembodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the disclosed subjectmatter is capable of modification and variation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising a vehicle computercomprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructionsexecutable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to:receive, from a wearable device, biometric data concerning a vehicleoperator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device;determine, based at least in part on the biometric data from thewearable device, a load score that is a measurement of operator capacityto operate the vehicle; and actuate at least one vehicle component basedat least in part on the load score.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe vehicle computer is further programmed to determine the load scorebased at least in part on data from at least one of a vehicle sensor anda vehicle communications bus.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein thevehicle computer is further programmed to determine to actuate the atleast one vehicle component based at least in part on data from avehicle communications bus.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein thevehicle computer is further programmed to determine the load score basedat least in part on one or more previously determined load scores. 5.The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer is furtherprogrammed to receive personal data input by the operator.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein at least one of the wearable device and the vehiclecomputer is further programmed to provide an alert based at least partlyon the load.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle computer isfurther programmed to provide the alert to the wearable device.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is further programmed to promptthe operator for input and to use the received input in at least one ofthe determination of the load score and the actuation of the at leastone vehicle component.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the biometricdata includes at least one of a heart rate monitor, a respiratorymonitor, and a pupil size and stability monitor for measuring thebiometric data received by the vehicle computer.
 10. The system of claim1, wherein the computer is further programmed to receive the biometricdata from at least one vehicle sensor in addition to the wearabledevice.
 11. A method, comprising: receiving, from a wearable device,biometric data concerning a vehicle operator measured by at least onesensor in the wearable device; determining a load score that is ameasurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle based at leastin part on the biometric data from the wearable device; and actuating atleast one vehicle component based at least in part on the load score.12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the loadscore based at least in part on data from at least one of a vehiclesensor and a vehicle communications bus.
 13. The method of claim 11,further comprising actuating the at least one vehicle component based atleast in part on data from at least one of a vehicle sensor and avehicle communications bus.
 14. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising determining to actuate the at least one vehicle componentbased on one or more previously determine load scores.
 15. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising receiving personal data input by theoperator.
 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing analert based at least partly on the load.
 17. The method of claim 11,wherein the vehicle computer prompts the operator for input on at leastone of the determination of the load score and the actuation of the atleast one vehicle component.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein thebiometric data includes at least one of a heart rate monitor, arespiratory monitor, and a pupil size and stability monitor formeasuring the biometric data received by the vehicle computer.
 19. Themethod of claim 11, further comprising receiving the biometric data fromat least one vehicle sensor in addition to the wearable device.